


silent angels and the garbage rats (will be renamed later!!!!)

by rangerdanger985



Series: The soft nines AU (insert creative title here) [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, I need sleep, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Mute Upgraded Connor | RK900, Original Character(s), Post-Canon, for now, i really cant think of tags, or un original, tags will change as it goes, whatever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-02-18 00:15:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21518773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rangerdanger985/pseuds/rangerdanger985
Summary: Gavin’s life had taken a turn for the strange so many times he was fairly used to it by now. However, it always threw him when something happened, like his idiot brother becoming a super genius.Or his old role model becoming everything he hated and then having to deal with androids revolting in the most ironic way possible.but hearing the soft crooning of a violin in the night coming from the roof of his apartment building, yeah that was a weird he wasn't used to.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: The soft nines AU (insert creative title here) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1551007
Comments: 12
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ok. so. I seem to be jumping between ships with this and good omens (which if yall haven't watched you need to it is amazing) so this might not be updated as often as I like *steadfastly ignored stony AU that still hasn't been updated*
> 
> nines is mute in this and speak via android interface or sign language.
> 
> ~this is sign language~
> 
> *This will probably be interfacing, haven't decided yet*
> 
> any signs I describe are to the best of my ability and learned from either a work friend who is a professional translator or via different sites/videos that teach different signs and they usually only represent simple things like "I'm ok", "r.k.900" or "calm down" and I usually have whoever's being signed to repeat what the sign means.
> 
> once I figure out how I will add links to the signs that lead to the specific sign so others can see what it looks like too.

Gavin’s life had taken a turn for the strange so many times he was fairly used to it by now. However, it always threw him when something happened, like his idiot brother becoming a super genius.

Or his old role model becoming everything he hated and then having to deal with androids revolting in the most ironic way possible and winning.

He had officially given up on keeping track of all the weird shit that happened to him especially in the last year, but opening his window in the middle of the night just to see what his cat was going crazy about and hearing the soft crooning of a violin in the night.

Yeah, that was a weird he wasn’t used to, even in the always-changing city of Detroit.

He knew someone had just recently moved in, to much noise coming from the otherwise silent apartment above his own to make him think anything else, but apparently, the new tenant had a love of violin.

Gavin hummed and looked at where his grey tabby was sitting on the window edge, tail wrapped around her feet and purring as she apparently listened “well” he muttered and laid his hand on her head, sliding it down her back “if you like it” he said and turned away walking toward the couch and the case file he had dropped.

He wasn’t worried about his cat falling out of the window, it was the one that led to the fire escape anyway so shed be fine.

To be honest Gavin thought it was just a one-time thing, that the new tenant was trying out a new instrument and would play in a studio from then on. He was wrong in this assumption of course as the next night he heard it again, the melody slowly and steadily becoming more haunted as every night just after midnight the mystery neighbor would go to the roof and play.

Apparently until dawn as he didn’t ever hear them stop or return to their apartment.

His cat liked it but it was weirding him out for some reason.

Maybe that was why he involved one of his only friends.

He’d known Tina since the academy, she was the only one not put off by his attitude, always giving just as much as she got. They had graduated and been partnered together as beat cops but while Tina was happy where she was Gavin had started climbing the ranks, stepping on feet as he did so.

They were still close though so they usually hung out in the break room when it wasn’t busy, hiding from and ignoring their coworkers.

That’s where they were now, leaning on a table and sipping coffee while Gavin recounted the last few days.

He didn’t exactly like the look in her eyes as he did “are they cute?” she finally asked and Gavin rolled his eyes “fuck if I know, never met em” he took a sip of burnt coffee as Tina looked aghast at him.

Overdramatic bitch, he thought fondly “you open your window every night to listen to them but don’t even know if they're cute? I thought

I taught you better than that!” he rolled his eyes “I open the window for my cat to listen to them, diesel is addicted. And you never taught me shit” he stabbed a finger at the woman “if I remember half our time in the academy I'm the one that taught you”  
Tina rolled her eyes and leaned on her crossed arms, jacket rustling “telling someone how to roll a joint isn’t teaching, it’s a waste of time”

A crooked smirk made the skin of his scar stretch “said as if you didn’t hotbox the bathroom every weekend, you almost got us kicked out” she waved a hand at him “enough of the good old days get back to this mysterious violinist that you like”

Gavin sighed again “again I don’t give a fuck, its my cat” he turned his head at the sound of steps and from his position in the break room saw the local wonder kid android walk in “well, if it isn’t something else I don’t give a fuck about” Tina rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone “go back to work Gavin”

He scrunched his face at his friend who really should have been following her own advice but just turned around, easily intercepting the android who hadn’t been around for the last few days “hey tin can” he said and saw the androids LED flash yellow for a moment before returning to blue as he turned “hello detective” he said, not unpleasant but not overly warm either.

“where the fuck you been?” Could android’s sigh? If not Connor was just doing it to be annoying “I’ve been on family leave detective. Helping my brother settle in" 

Gavin hummed, perking a brow at the droid “didn’t know y’all had families or siblings. How’s that even work is it like ducks or something” Connor turned to face him and looked highly annoyed but he didn’t know why, to his knowledge he wasn’t being overly prickish this time, just genuinely curious. 

“Detective, I understand that you have never cared for another being in your entire life so I highly doubt you would understand what it is to have a relative. Even if I spent the next several hours explaining it to you I doubt you or your small mind would ever be able to understand what it's like to care for someone besides yourself”

Gavin’s teeth set on edge, lips pulling back from a snarl as he glared at the plastic prick that thought he knew anything about him “you are a fucking bastard” he spat out before spinning on his heel and marching out of the precinct, turning left and marching down the street outside as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

How dare that prick judge him like that, he knew he wasn’t the greatest man before the revolution and that he stepped on toes the get his way but god damn it he had been trying to be a nice person and learn more about the prick. Sure he was an asshole but he was starting to learn the lines he had previously taken joy in stomping on, hadn’t been smacked or punched by other officers for a while and people had even stopped complaining so much about him.

Hell, Tina and Chris both had asked if he was going crazy when Connor showed up for work after the revolution, fully instated and fully deviated, and all Gavin had done was shoot something off along the lines of “welcome back Barbie” then ignore him for the rest of the day. Honestly getting his ass handed to him by the android had helped to alter his view but the final standoff between the FBI and the androids had helped.

He sure as hell hadn’t let Elijah live it down, making fun of his god complex had always been a pastime for Gavin but now it was at a whole new level.

Either way what right did that android have to call him, in shorter words, a small-minded uncaring bastard that didn’t give a shit about anything aside from himself. Sure that was mostly true as he didn’t care about a lot of people and he had been a bastard for so long he doubted anything would change that but he sure a fuck wasn’t small-minded.

The longer he thought about it the worse his temperament became, growling steadily under his breath he turned and marched toward the precinct, shotgunning his cigarette but into the nearby trashcan as he passed. He found Connor standing outside the precinct with his back to him and so marched straight up to him “hey you prick I’ve got a few more things to say to you!” the figure whipped around and Gavin was caught momentarily off guard as he realized this wasn’t Connor.

First of all, he was too tall, now that Gavin was closer he noticed the android had at least a few inches on the rk800, not that Connor was already taller than him, and this android was a little bulkier, broader in the shoulders even though they had hiked up slightly with his surprise.

The largest difference though was his startling pale eyes, they had to be damn near silver. Caught off guard himself Gavin couldn’t stop himself from blurting “who the phck are you?” absently thinking when anther rk800 model had been activated, as far as he was aware

Connor had been the last of his model.

The androids shoulders hunched up higher and he glanced toward the police station, obviously looking for an escape or something and enlightenment kicked Gavin in the nuts “oh” he said, taking a step back and loosening his shoulders, attempting to make himself look less threatening to the obviously skittish android. Hadn’t Connors leave request said something about injured family? Gavin didn’t want to think about what could make an android like this skittish and quiet “your Connors brother” the android's eyes moved and locked back on him.

After a moment the android nodded, Gavin wondering why he didn’t open his mouth and speak before jabbing his thumb at the doors “you can go inside and wait for him if you want” the android shook his head eyes slightly widened “ understandable, if Connors told you anything about this place you know how crappy it is” he looked at the building, narrowing his eyes for a moment before looking back at the Connor lookalike.

“so what, are you the strong silent one of your model? Don’t think I’ve been around someone this long where they haven’t told me to go away in years” he perked a brow at the android who paused again before shaking his head once more and lifting a hand.

Gavin was wondering what he was doing when a voice spoke from behind him “he cant talk detective” there was the local plastic asshole now, he looked at Connor and a brow “his vocal processor was removed, sorry to keep you waiting Richard” he smiled at his brother and as he watched the android, Richard, lift his hand and fold his fingers,.

Not a lot of people knew Gavin was proficient in ASL so he recognized that he was saying it was fine to his brother.

Obviously dismissed and too surprised to roused his anger at the rk800 he just turned and walked back inside.

Of course, his anger was back with a vengeance that night. He stormed around his apartment, fuming at how much of an asshole Connor was and wondering just what the other android, Connor had said his name was Richard right? Wondering what Richard had been about to sign.

This shit was driving him up a wall and the depressing strings of violin music drifting through his window weren’t helping. Finally he had enough, marching over to his window he leaned half of his body out and stared at the dark roof “do you take requests?!” he shouted “because something less depressing would be nice!” the violin stopped and he pulled himself back into his apartment cursing when he smashed his head against the bottom of his window.

Muttering to himself he slid down to sit against the wall under the window, sighing as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, realizing he probably chased off the violin player for the night. His cat was glaring at him, probably thinking the same thing. He reached out without thinking and rubbed her head “sorry darling” he muttered, the cat acted annoyed for another minute before she started to purr.

It was then that the soft sound started up again, this time with a much less depressing sound and he leaned his head back and listened.

He guessed music really did tame the raging beast. Or, ya know, the raging bastard.

The next morning Connor was back to work as if nothing had changed and Gavin steadfastly ignored the android, the others both human and android alike were whispering and glancing between them, probably waiting for Gavin to snap and try to shot the android again.

Gavin wouldn’t lie and say he hadn’t thought about it, after all, third time was the charm, but loathed as he was to say it the android was actually a damn good detective and he kept Anderson on the straight and narrow, the lieutenant hadn’t come to work reeking of cheap whiskey in months and he was once again showering regularly.

He was still a pain in Gavin’s ass but he was getting closer to the man he used to be.

Honestly, all the whispering made Gavin twitchy so he was glad to be assigned a case, it as a robbery with the victim claimed their cleaning service stole a few thousand dollars worth of jewelry.

It was a bullshit case and it took Gavin half an hour to find where the owner had hidden the jewelry in a vent. Returning with it in hand he gave the woman an unimpressed look before turning to the pl600, a pale-skinned, lanky redhead with blue eyes that had been accused of the theft. He was standing with his arms crossed and looked as impressed as Gavin felt.

“what’s your name?” he asked more as a formality than because he cared “George” the android supplied making Gavin raise a brow, of all the names this one had to be named George “alright man, well since it’s clear she’s trying to set you up do you want to press charges for discrimination? She’s already getting fined for impeding justice and falsification of evidence”

The droid looked at the woman for a moment who was still complaining to another officer before sighing and shaking his head “no, but I am putting her on the banned list for our services”

Gavin perked a brow “banned list huh? Is that even a thing?” the android nodded “yes actually, it’s a list of people to avoid because they either harm us or” he motioned to the woman “attempt to frame us to destroy our credibility. Just because were recognized as a form of life doesn’t mean everyone agrees with it, we’ve had more than our fair share of problems even after the revolution”

He looked depressed by the fact but Gavin just sighed turning away and lighting a cigarette “yeah, people don’t change” he muttered and George looked at him “not all people, after all, you used to be on that list detective reed”

The android walked away before Gavin could question him, asking another officer if he could go before walking to his van and driving away. Gavin just stood there, cigarette burning itself down without him taking more than a couple of drags from it, although when he remembered it and lifted to take another puff he found it had gone out.

Muttering to himself about androids and self-extinguishing paper he stuck it behind his ear and walked to his bike, deciding to call it an early day he returned home, messaging fowler and saying he’d submit the report when he got a chance. If he said anything in reply Gavin didn’t see it, he also had no plans of doing the report it would just go in the stack of unfinished work that he’d probably still be working on after he retired.

If he ever retired, chances were that he’d be dead long before he reached retirement age. Shaking his head he walked into his building, ignoring the elevator in favor of the stairs just because he didn’t trust the elevator, it was nearly as old as Anderson and it showed its age badly.

He was on the second of eight flights he had to ascend when he heard the door to the stairwell open and looked down to see a familiar face “hey" he called making the person lookup.

Gavin was right it was Connors's brother. The android's eyes widened in recognition and maybe a bit of unease but Gavin relaxed his posture leaning with his arms over the rail “you following me or something?” the android shook his head and wrung his hands. Pulling dark sleeves over them “hey" he looked up again and Gavin held out his hand's palm down and lowered them, the androids eyes widened again as the sign for calm “relax would ya, I’m just teasing" 

The android nodded and then quickly ascended the stairs to his level “your Richard tight?” Gavin asked to which he nodded then held up his own hands ~your Gavin?~ 

Gavin nodded “I’m just going to guess that Connors told you about me, am I better or worse than what he described?” Gavin was just joking in saying that but as he watched the android tilted his head watching him carefully with pale eyes then lifted a hand to his mouth, leaving it there for a moment before moving it to the side and making a fist with his thumb raised. It wasn’t what he was expecting “better?” he snorted “well you don’t know me yet”

Richards's lips twitched slightly into something close to a smile ~you’re not that bad~ he signed making Gavin snort again “and what makes you say that? You super RK800 processing unit” did he just roll his eyes? The android help up his hand again pointer touching his thumb before separating them to make a ‘C’

He was confused “huh,” Gavin asked and this time the android did roll his eyes. Holding up his hand again Richard slowly crossed his fingers with his thumb touching his last two folded fingers, then made a peace sign thumb against his palm, then he repeated the other sign. Fingers spread with first touching his thumb then holding them like a ‘C’ “ok smartass, I didn’t know they made RK900’s”  
Richard looked down rubbing the dark material of his turtle neck sweater ~I’m the only one~ his hands fidgeted for a moment, like he was debating what to say if anything more than that but Gavin reached out palm stopping just short of Richards hands “I don’t need to know” the android seemed to sigh before nodding.

If Gavin wasn’t imagining it he actually looked grateful “but, I’m not calling you Richard” he started walking up the stairs and the android followed him looking confused ~why?~ “because it’s a stuck up name and I ain’t calling you dick, there’s only enough room for one of those in this building and I am filling it”

~then what will you call me?~ Gavin smirked despite himself “probably something offensive” he defiantly rolled his eyes that time. Gavin just grinned, walking through the door to his floor while the android continued to ascend.

That night the violinist must have been in a better mood because the strings drifting through his window weren’t nearly as haunting or sad as they had been for the last few. Excluding the one time he yelled at the roof to cheer the fuck up.

Diesel liked it too, purring from her place on his chest where she had trapped him on his couch, then again she could have just been happy because Gavin had taken up petting her twenty minutes ago while staring at his muted TV, it was playing some political thing about the president and government officials trying to quell the rising unease in relation to the android populace.

Not that there were many left in the city let alone the states, half of them had moved to Canada once they gained their rights. Gavin wasn’t even paying attention to it, knowing most news broadcasts were bullshit these days, he was more thinking about his day, about what that android told him.

There was a banned list, people excluded from all things android related and apparently, Gavin had resided on that list once.

But not anymore.

It was the not anymore part that was throwing him, after all, he hadn’t changed that much since the revolution, just held his tongue more often and maybe stopped openly insulting the creations.

Now that he thought about it he wondered why he had hated the damn androids so much to begin with. because they’d take his job? Hell there were hundreds of graduates from the police academy yearly and he’d never hated them, he’d been damn proud when the number of police academy students went up over recent years.

It wasn’t because they followed the rules, after all, he was a cop so that did him a favor and they were pretty fucking defenseless before the revolution. Still kind of were in his opinion and they were still young as a species, had a lot to learn.

Letting out a sigh large enough to made his cat dig her claws into his chest he stared at the ceiling, he was depressing himself thinking about this shit but of course, if he wasn’t thinking about that, he was thinking about what Tina had told him earlier.

It wasn’t as depressing but it sure as fuck made him laugh “how am I supposed to meet them, go knock on their door and say what ‘hi my cat likes your music, I’m also a cop and your plying is technically illegal but I’m letting it slide because again my cat likes you’ who am I kidding that’s probably exactly what a phcking do” he sighed again and it made his cat finally grow tired of him.

Standing up to stretch and dig her claws in again before jumping down and trotting, tail in the air, to the kitchen to complain about her half-full food bowl.

Damn spoiled as cat.

Turning on his chest Gavin folded his arms and laid his head on them, closing his eyes and telling his introspective thoughts to take a proverbial hike, although as sleep crept up on him, draping over him like a blanket he did have one final thought.

“but what if they're ugly?”

He didn’t answer himself because he was snoring a second later.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay I'm actually updating.
> 
> let's see if I can keep up the steam!
> 
> next update shouldn't take this long as its already half-finished so yay. 
> 
> enjoy!  
> RD

He woke up to his phone ringing, a kink in his shoulder and a heavyweight on his neck.

Diesel had apparently forgiven him in the night and now laid on him like a neck massager.

A heavy 20lb neck massager.

His phone was also going off and he muttered a curse before raising the arm without the kinked shoulder to move his cat. She mewled in complaint but he didn’t pay it much attention “sorry darlin” he muttered before reaching for his phone.

“yeah” he answered without checking the ID “hey man, are we still on for today?” he recognized the voice as Tina's “today?” he questioned then hissed while trying to get his shoulder to cooperate “you forgot, of course you did. You promised to hang out at the square today, buy me a hotdog”

His brain woke up enough for him to remember that they had made the plans a few weeks ago, he wasn’t surprised he forgot, but now that he remembered “no, you said you’d buy me a hotdog and coffee and that’s the only reason I agreed”

With his shoulder working again he got up and walked to the kitchen stopping along the way to close his window and cursing that he’d left it open the night before. After all post-revolution Detroit was still Detroit and house robberies had been on the rise again.

Tina snorted over the phone as he started a pot of coffee “just hurry up asshole” he rolled his eyes “I’ll get there eventually bitch” he snarked back and heard a laugh before ending the call, checking his messages before going to take a shower.

Fowler sent a message the prior afternoon berating him, threatened his job and demanded the report by the end of his next shift. The man’s equivalence of greeting and farewell, there was also a message from his brother, a meme with a cat that made him chuckle and send back something along the same lines.

He didn’t really talk to his brother as much as he wanted to, they fell out of touch a few years ago when he became preoccupied with his whole creating another race thing, but they still sent memes back and forth. After the revolution and his brother's seclusion into the mountains even further than usual they had started to talk again but it was slow going.

Couldn’t really erase that many years of ignorance with a few cat memes.

And speaking of cats the drama queen was earning her name by screaming outside the bathroom door “stop acting as if your starving” he shouted back only to be blessed with silence for a couple of minutes before the cat started at it again, putting most diesel engines to shame with her volume.

Shaking his head in amusement he got out of the shower and proceeded to feed her before getting dressed, making her purr as if she hadn’t just spent the last 15 minutes screaming through the bathroom door.

“hold down the fort while I’m gone?” diesel rose her head to give him an uncaring look before returning her head to her food bowl “take that as a no” he muttered before pulling on his boots and locking the door behind him

The ride to the square wasn’t a long one, only about fifteen minutes, and once he arrived and parked his bike, he found his friend standing by one of the bus stops with coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.

“took you long enough,” she said as she spotted his approach and he rolled his eyes “oh shut up, where’s my hotdog?” she pointed at the stand with a smirk “right over there, while you’re getting one buy me one to would ya?” he shook his head “you promised me a hotdog” he teased, hands loosely fisted at his hips.

Tina made a face of disgust “there is no way I would ever order one of those disgusting things that you eat, I am doing us both a favor here” he laughed. Tina had long made her opinion known about what he ate, she said that anyone who could ingest a seven-inch sausage piled high with sauerkraut and onions would never ever get a date for the rest of their lives because no woman would approach them with that on their breath.

When he pointed out that he was gay she had amended her argument by saying that even other men drew a line somewhere and he made a game out of stomping on it. “if you're going to be dragging me around the square all day I need food come on” he grabbed her arm and pulled her along, making her complain.

It was all good-natured of course, he knew if she really didn’t want to follow him there was no way she’d let him pull her along. More than once she had laid him on his ass in combat practice at the academy and he was sure that she could still do it.

There was a small line so while they waited Gavin asked exactly what the pans were for that day.

“well I figured you could carry my bags at the mall for a while, id let you drool over some of the new gaming equipment coming out then we could catch a movie or something, ya know pretend that you got a date for once” she jabbed him in the side.

Even her playful jabs could sting a big and he rubbed his side “shut up I date” he muttered before placing their order. Tina made a sound of disgust when they received their food “I don’t know how given the fact that you eat that crap” she said as they moved to the condiments table “my personality makes up for it” he said with a smirk, making her laugh. Even he had to admit that was a bit of a stretch, he might have been a bit less of an asshole but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still an asshole.

Shaking his head before his own joke made him depressed he glanced around, a habit that his time as a detective had encouraged and spotted something that made him frown. “tina” he said, lowering his voice slightly and she looked up from her chili dog with a hum before following his gaze.

A few people were lingering by the path that lead to the movie theater, there were about ten of them and from a distance, they looked like teenagers and young adults. They looked like they were itching for trouble and it made Gavin more than a bit wary, especially with the way they were watching some of the androids that were scattered around the area either working or hanging.

Tina groaned “it’s our day off” she complained “can't we just ignore it” even as she was suggesting it he could see the woman shifting her position to keep a better eye on the group. After all, there wasn’t anything wrong with standing around and looking menacing, if there was Gavin would have a record a mile long.

Gavin grunted, keeping a close eye on the group and not thinking about how a year ago he would have ignored them.

He was watching them closely enough that he saw the moment they found a target, saw the way a taller blond kid elbowed the others and nodded in the direction of something Gavin couldn’t quite see.

Tina noticed his attention and glanced back again before looking at him “check it out?” she questioned and he gave a jerky nod, looking at his lunch in sorrow before throwing it in the garbage and moving quickly around the square to where the group's target was.

He wasn’t expecting what he saw.

Connors brother was knelt at the side of the path in another large sweater and had his hands buried in the fur of a large dog, he was smiling softly and completely ignorant to the quickly approaching danger at his back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again next update shouldn't take this long (ugh 4 months) but i cant make promises it depends on what fandom decides to eat me alive next haha.
> 
> hope you enjoyed! leave a comment/Kudo if you did!  
> RD


	3. Chapter 3

“shit” Gavin hissed before walking toward the android in a rush “hey,” he said trying to keep his face friendly, after all, he remembered the android’s reaction the last time he’d approached him with annoyance or anger.

Richard looked up, brows risen in curiosity and Gavin saw the glowing circle on his temple, it was spinning a solid yellow with the faintest traces of red so apparently, he wasn’t as unaware as he seemed.

Of course, upon seeing Gavin it calmed down, didn’t fade from yellow but the red disappeared, he tilted his head in curiosity and signed Gavin’s name, he looked even more curious at seeing Tina as Gavin’s shoulder “didn’t expect to run into you here nines” Gavin said without thought keeping a smile on his face.

Lowering one hand he patted the giant furry dogs head “this the old man’s dog?” he questioned the dog turned and panted at him, happy at the attention he was receiving with his other hand he made quick signs informing the android that he was being watched.

~I know~ he signed lips thinning ~they’ve followed me for a while~ Gavin turned his head, noticing that the group had stopped approaching and instead stood watching and frowning, judging their chances.

Gavin stood back up and turned his head to his friend “hey Tina, this is Connors brother Richard” his friend wasn’t quite sure what he was doing but she played along extending a hand for the android to shake as he straightened up, he did and smiled tightly “nice to meet you” she said.

“We were about to grab a bite, you should join us get one of those weird blue things” the android rose a brow, looking unimpressed ~thirium replicas detective~

Was it possible to sound unimpressed when you didn’t even talk? He rolled his eyes “same thing” he said then turned his head to Tina and making small talk while folding his fingers toward nines ~walk between us~ he signed ~we’re passing them~

Richard nodded as they started walking, moving easily between him and Tina while the dog trotted easily at his left side “I mean come on” he continued the small talk “the other cops don’t have this much paperwork, you don’t” he said to Tina as they walked directly beside the group who shifted at the word cops.

“that’s because you’re both a detective and never do your paperwork” the group disappeared down an alley while they walked toward a coffee shop.

Arriving Richard and Gavin took a seat at one of the tables while Tina disappeared inside “did you recognize any of them?” he questioned the android who was just starting to relax and watched as he rose a brow, unimpressed before reaching out. The androids skin peeled back from a single finger and he touched the back of Gavin’s phone which suddenly buzzed with a new message.

He picked it up, curious, and found information on the ‘gang’ they had encountered. He flicked his eyes up to the android and smirked “neat trick” he said and skimmed the writeups of the group, they had some pretty extensive charges for property damage, breaking and entering and assault.

The oddball out was the blonde one though, his record was fairly clean, and he was apparently a former cyberlife employee.

Gavin’s brows furrowed but he was distracted by a large and furry head shoving into his lap making him drop his phone. Glaring down at the dog’s chocolate eyes he twisted his lips to hide his amusement “I was reading that” he said and dropped his hands to scratch at the space under the dog’s ears.

The beast sat down and groaned, leaning into the scritches “how did Connor let you get away with walking hanks dog anyway? Thought they came as a package deal” he kept his voice light and teasing while looking back up at Richard who shrugged a shoulder.

~their out of state on a case right now~ he signed Gavin hummed in vague interest before looking back down at the dog “your brother would freak out if he knew I was petting his precious sumo” the dog perked up at his name, which Gavin knew because he was a detective and also wasn’t deaf and had heard hank talk about the dog before.

Further conversation was interrupted by Tina returning with a drink carrier “guess you bought me that coffee after all” he said with a smirk as she handed him a cup and she smirked back “think again asshole” she said while pulling something from her back pocket.

It was his wallet “when the fuck” he cut himself off and snatched it from her hand, opening it to ensure his cards were all still in their proper places but a couple of bills were missing. He shifted and shoved it back into his pocket while glaring at his partner “I swear to god Chen” he said, “cops don’t pick pockets!”

The woman laughed at him “most cops, don’t act like you can’t pick a lock” he scowled harder “that is useful to an investigation” he was distracted when he saw Richard move from the corner of his eye and looked in time to see the android ducking his head to try and hide his amused smile.

Gavin held up his hand, first and the second finger raised and palm facing the android before turning it, folding the fingers in and finishing the movement by lifting and lowering his first finger twice. Brow risen in question.

The android saw the sign and made a few of his own, having both hands free to fully sign his thought and making Gavin snort. Tina looked between them confused, she didn’t know sign very well aside from a few expletives Gavin had taught her and some signs necessary for the job.

“What am I missing?” she questioned, “he said that we sound like an old married couple” Gavin translated making Tina raise a brow and look at the android who shrugged slightly, head ducked at her sudden attention.

Then she started laughing.

Richard looked at him in confusion but Gavin just rolled his eyes “I feel insulted” he said to the woman who reined in her laugher for a moment to lean over and sling an arm over his shoulder, pressing her face to the side of his “aww honey don’t be that way, think of the kids”

Gavin rolled his eyes and used the hand not still scratching Sumo’s head to shove the woman away “get off me ya freak” he said making her start giggling again “it’s funny” she said wiping at one of her watering eyes “because I am probably the closest thing you will ever get to having a wife”

“you're more of an annoying sister than a wife Chen” he rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink, feeling sumo lay his head on his leg before looking back at Richard, “she thinks she’s funny”

The android tapped a finger against his head with a little smirk and Gavin sighed, ducking his head in defeat “I ain’t translating that” he said to Tina’s inquisitive sound “your ego doesn’t need any more help”

He could almost feel the woman’s glare, but it was interrupted by her phone going off. The woman checked it before cursing and standing up “hot date?” Gavin questioned and the woman rolled her eyes while standing up “I wish, no duty calls”

Gavin put down his coffee “they need me to come in too?” he questioned with brows furrowed but the woman waved her hand “seeing as they didn’t call you, most likely not, what you can do if finish that report from yesterday though, Sargent wasn’t happy”

“when is the sarge ever happy” he rolled his eyes and lifted his coffee to take a sip “tell quin I said hi” he teased as she walked away and the woman flipped him off from behind Richard's back before making a line for her car to get to the station.

Leaving Gavin and Richard alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so please let me know if you see any mistakes, or if you have any questions again I am attempting to learn basic sign but I don't know my butt from the Jupiter spot at this point.
> 
> I will be updating this as I get inspiration/time but it may be a bit between updates. to make up for that though the updates are usually kinda long so yay?
> 
> anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you next time!  
> RD


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